Cap for bottles



July l2, 1932. i

C. W. CROOKSHANK CAP FOR BOTTLES Filed Dec. 26, 1928 Fle'. l2

Flall AIU m. F

Vle. 6

INII/ENTOR. CLARENCE VV. CnooKr-IANK ATTORNEY UNITED. Vsra 'ras PATIENT-.1OFlgi'l-CE emanen w. cnooxsnAn-x, or sur umso; Assiettes., mr Dinner AND unsre assicurare, ro norrnn mors, me.; oonromrxon or nnnnvwnnn cnr ron normas l Application led December 28, 1928. Serial No. 328,574.

. My invention relates to caps for bottles and a method of Athis elasswhich isl very other containers and method ofV producing the same and the objects of my invention are: tirst,to provide a ca of this class which 'may `6 be securely fastene over the openlng of a bottle or other similar container-and which may be `readily .removed therefrom without thenecessity of a bottle opener( or other similar instrument, which openers or other 111- struments are not always at hand when de- `airing to remove the caps from bottles or other similar containers; second, to provide a cap of this class having a means intermediate its edge to permit ready insertion o f a cap prying member therethrough for prylng the cap from bottles, but which cap is of such construction as to thoroughly seal the normal open end of the bottle or other container;

third,to provide a ca of this class-through which any small rigi instrument, such as a" knife, fork, nail, piece of wood or the like, may be inserted for prying off the cap;

fourth, to provide a cap of this class having' an opening at its middle portion aiid a gasket at its inner 4side and means for sealingthe opening which is of lesser strength than the body of the cap, which sealing means may be readily removed or forced through the opening for inserting the cap prying-off' member from the bottle or other container; fifth, to provide as a whole a novelly constructed -cap of this class; sixth, to provide acap of this class with a relatively weak portion intermediate its edge adapted to receive' the end of an instrument for releasing thepressure and removing thencap; seventh, to, provide a cap of this class wluch is very simple and economical of construction, durable and which will not readily deteriorateor get out or order.; eighth, to provide a novel method of producing a cap for bottles or other containers; ninth, toprovide a novel method of makinga cap for bott-les and other containers which cap has a;relatively weak portion iiitermediate its edge for receiving an instruthrough the opening for pryingoif the cap i simple and economical of operation, eiliclent and practical.-

With these and other objects in view as will vappear hereinafter, myinvention consists of the -cefrtain novel `features of con l struction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions andthe certain novel method of producingcaps of. this 'class as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying dr'awing and to the characters of referenceA thereon which form a' part of this application in which: Y i

Figure 1 is an enlarged plan view of a fragmentary portion of ca material with the first operation, that of mahing an opening in the preferred form in the material; Fig. 2 is a sectionaly view through 2,-2 of Fig. 1; Fig.

l3 isa plan view yof the same after it has been lrolled down smooth, the next step in the act I ofmanufacture;` Fig. .4 is a sectional view through 4'-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the same after the opening orincision has vbeen filled with the sealing material; Fig. 6

is a sectional view through 6---6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a topor plan `view showing a sheet of metal and showing how the caps are stamped from the sheet of metal at the same time producing theopen or weakened portion' intermediate the edge; Fig. 8 isa see-` t-ijonal view-of a. fra entary portion of the ca on an enlar scale after it has received the sealing material and before being crimped on the bottle top; Fig. 9 is a sectional ment for releasing the pressure and removview through the middle of the ca complete with the gasket and bottle top whic is shown fragmentarily; Fig. 10, shows a'- modified form of opening in the? cap from the other 9o views of the drawinggvFlg. 11 is another modified form, and Fig. 12 is another modified form. Y

Similar characters of, reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the 95 y several views of the drawing.

The cap is nade as follows: Suitable sheet material 1, preferabl metallic, is used, 'preferably in strips of a out the size of the cap in its finished form, as shown best in Fig.

Figi. it ing noted that the one shown in Fig. 1

i is only punched through a portion of the circle forming arcuate slits 2 and leaving a weakened portion 3 to com lete the circle, all as shown best in Figs. 1 an 2 of the drawing. The metal is then rolled out pressing the cutout portion fiat, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. I

Due to the stretching of the material when punching out'in the first operation, the rolling in the second operation practically closes the slit, as shown best in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing. The metal is then tinned or covered with a coating of tin, thereby completely closing the slits 2. Thus the tinning operation performs two functions, one' of covering the cap with a preserving coating, the other of filling the slit with a relatively weak material so the same may be easily fractured with an instrument for relieving the pressure in the bottle and providing means for readily removing the cap.

It will be notedl that after the surface is tinned there is left a slight depression outlining the weak portion of the cap so that it is easy to locate the weak portion from the eX- terior of the finished product. It being noted that the tinning being very thin and relal tively weak, it is easily broken, thus the circular portion formed bv theslits 2 may be easily separated from the remaining portion y of the cap to form an opening.

The next step consists in stamping the material in circular pieces and crimping the edge to form a bottle cap, as shownin Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawing. l

The next step is in crimping the cap in position on the bottle in the conventional manner, after which it is as shown inFig.. 9 of the drawing in completed form, the usual gasket, preferably cork, forming a seal between the cap and the top of the bottle covering the entire surface of the cap.

It will be here noted that if desired the material may be tinned before punching or after it is punched and before rolling. This, however, will form a weaker seal than that formed by the preferred method, as the metal then is merely pressed together instead of forming a continuous layer over the slits 2 which is not so satisfactory. p

In the modified forms shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12, the openings instead of being circular are in varying forms, for instance, Fig. 10 shows a V-shaped opening, Fig. 11 an X-shaped opening, and Fig. 12 a slitted opening, al1 of which might be utilized if desired usin the same process and producing substantia ly a like cap structure.

Though I have shown and described a articular method of producing caps for ottles and other containers with certain modifications thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the particular method nor the particular modifications thereof, nor to the particular cap or the particular modifications thereof, butv desire to include in the scope of my invention vthe method and cap structure substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a ca for bottles adapted to contain efervescent evera'ges, a metallic shell having a securing portion at its outer edge, a slitted opening intermediate its edge, a sealing gasket member secured on the inner side nf said shell over said opening and a reservative metallic covering foi` said cap lling the slits therein.

2. In a cap for bottles adapted to contain efervescent beverages, a metallic shell having a crimping securing portion at its outer edge shaped to be crimped over the outer side of a bottle top, a slitted opening therein with one outer extremity spaced some, distance inwardly of the inside of the bottle opening for receiving a pointed instrument for removing the cap, and a preservative covering for said cap filling the slitted opening therein.

3. In a cap for bottles and other containers adapted to contain effervescent beverages, a metallic shell having a securing portion at its outer edge and an opening intermediate its edge, a sealing gasket member positioned on theinner side of said shell and over said opening, and a tinning covering for said cap p filling the opening therein and sealing the same.'

4. In a removable cap for containers, a

Irigid metallic shell having a securing means at its edge and intermediate the edge a weakened ortion considerably smaller than the container opening leaving a shoulder adapting the portion defined by the weakened portion to receive a pointed instrument and be forced readily inwardly thereby for removing said cap and a protective coating over and filling the weakenedv portion.

5. In a ca for bottles adapted to contain effervescent everages, a metallic shell having a crimping securing portion at its outer edge shaped to be crimped over the outer side of a bottle top, a slitted4 weakened portion centrally therein, a sealing gasket member secured on the inner side and covering the inner side of said shell, and a preservative covering on the outer surface of said cap and filling the slitted weakened portion thereof.

In testimon whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at an Diego, California, this 5th day of December, 1928.

CLARENCE W. CROOKSHANK. 

